Kathleen Bennett Bastis’ solo art show opens on March 31-April 25th at First Street Gallery, 526, W26th, Suite 209 in Manhattan. Opening reception is April 2, 6-8pm. “I am inspired by the distinctive character, energy and form found in the fragments of discarded, washed up, broken or otherwise overlooked materials which I salvage from the street, river bank and scrap yards. Their unique shape, texture and hue guide my creative process as I reinterpret the history of this detritus and construct a contemporary visual narrative.” Kathleen Bennet Bastis

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Artists Without Walls: Performance Series

“The Musical History of the Lower East Side”

Join members of Artists Without Walls on April 2nd, 7pm, as it journeys through the music of the Lower East Side. Celtic music, Minelstry, Yiddish music and humor, Italian opera and Neapolitan song, Jazz and Rock presented by a talent cast including, Ashley Galvani Bell, Deni Bonet, Maritri Garrett, Niamh Hyland, Noah Hoffeld and Baysa Schecther. And some Yiddish humor from Nancy Redman. Narrated by Charles R. Hale. Rockwood Music Hall, Stage 3, 185 Orchard St, NYC. Tickets $15 and $20. For ticket info click here. Use the code AWWMEMBER for an AWoW discount.

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Opening on April 4th and running through April 25th, Jack O’Connell, will be starring in the World Premiere of The BISCUIT CLUB, Marianne Driscoll’s canine comedy inspired by The Breakfast Club. Directed by Kira Simring. For ticket info click here Use the code awow for discounted tickets.

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Ever wonder what goes on in a kennel when people aren’t around? THE BISCUIT CLUB gives audiences a behind-the-bars peek into Bradley’s Bed & Biscuit, a boarding house for dogs. When an aging Bulldog, a jumpy Beagle, a glamorous Shih Tzu, a grumpy Pit Bull, a champion Airedale Terrier and a wide-eyed Labrador pup are locked together for the night, a doggone good time is in store for all.

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Artists Without Walls: Gallery Series

Kathleen Bennett Bastis: “Permutations”

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Join Kathleen Bennett Bastis and Artists Without Walls on April 10th, 6;30pm at First Street Gallery, 526, W26th St, Suite 209 when Kathleen, in conjunction with AWow, will be celebrating the arts–including Kathleen’s mixed-media art and live entertainment. Complimentary wine, beer and soft drinks will be served. Entertainment during the evening provided by Annette Homann, Martina Fiserova and Allison Syliva.

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Soprano Ashley Galvani Bell will be performing in SEÑORA/SIGNORA ROSSINI: A CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE OF ISABELLA COLBRAN on April 10th and 11th, 2015 at 8 pm at the Loretto Theater at the Sheen Center in NoHo, located on the corner of Elizabeth and Bleecker Street in New York City. The show will be presented as a multi-disciplinary concert for classical singers, piano, harp and actor/narrator.

Ashley Galvani Bell

For more information and to order tickets click here. Tickets are $10 for the balcony and $30 for the orchestra. Please note there is $10 discount for orchestra seats using a SPECIAL AWOW DISCOUNT CODE…Divaria1 (Be sure to use a cap D. Case sensitive.)

And Tuesday night’s “anything” was a distinctly multi-cultural night with performers from Macedonia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Ireland, Puerto Rico, the Czech Republic, Germany and the United States. As member Jim Rodgers once said, “It’s proof that AWoW is becoming the United Nations of the cultural scene here in New York City.”

The Trio Samovili

Tuesday night’s Showcase started off with a delightful taste of chamber music. The Trio Samovili, comprised of Macedonian soprano Gabriela Gyorgeva, Serbian flutist Ana Tanasijevic and Bulgarian pianist Aleksandra Kocheva performed three pieces consisting of two arias by GF Handel: Piangero la Sorte Mia (Giulio Cesare) and Ombra Mai Fu (the famed Largo from Xerxes) and culminating with a traditional Macedonian song Zajdi Zajdi Jasno Sonce, which is considered an anthem of the Balkan area. Through their interpretation you could easily feel the special emotions of homeland and the spirit of the Balkan.

Joanna Migdal

In celebration of this month’s 35th anniversary of The National Women’s History Project, Joanna C. Migdal read “Good Night, Noises Everywhere”, a cento (collage-poem) she had composed of lines by 45 of some of her favorite women poets of the past. The audience (including the men!) were moved as the lines of her poetic soliloquy expressed universal and timeless frustrations and anxieties of these women.

I.S. Jones

With a commanding stage presence and vivacious poems of triumph, tribute, and forgiveness, I.S. Jones’s poetry stunned the audience at AWoW. Her brilliant and heart-warming verse brought the audience from roaring amens to a celebration of the “black body.” I.S. was a delight to experience. We hope to see her again…and again.

Ashley Bell

Ashley Bell thrilled the crowd with a beautiful performance of Bach/Gounod’s Ave Maria. She then joined forces with Artists Without Walls’ regular, violinist Annette Homann, for an impromptu, spectacular rendition of “The Prayer” by David Foster.

Allison Sylvia

Allison Sylvia performed her anti-strophe, edon.adan, at this past week’s showcase. “I am endlessly grateful for the opportunity to perform for such a supportive audience,” she said. “There are few words to describe how exciting it was that the audience ‘clapped [that they] believed in fairies.” This is one talented young lady, whose greatness is early in its ascendance.

Larry Fleischman and Courtney Torres

The opening scene, excerpted from Brendan Connellan’s new play Savage, was just the mix of unsettling darkness and bubbling farce that you might expect from some of his prior pieces, POMPA POMPA, Kill the Bid! or Death, Please! Courtney Torres and Larry Fleischman fully captured the awkward daughter-father dynamic as she dropped on him a very unexpected and somewhat unwelcome piece of news. Mary Tierney directed with great imagination and verve. The full play should be completed in the coming months so the fall out will be further explored! Expect further mayhem!

Martina Fiserova

Martina Fiserova closed out this month’s AWoW Showcase with another spellbinding performance. During her three song set of “Silver Streams,” “Song For Brian” and “A Well” you could hear a pin drop as she wowed the crowd with her voice, her guitar, the piano and the poignant stories she told about where she received the inspiration for the songs. As AWoW member Mitch Traphagen posted after the performance ‘”Go to her shows, look on YouTube — whatever you have to do — she is worth it. An incredible talent.”

Another great evening of multi-cultural talent. The next Artists Without Walls’ Showcase at The Cell will be on April, 28, 6:45pm.

“As a first time visitor of an AWoW Showcase, I enjoyed everything about the evening…. Talented performers, friendly people, time to mingle … fantastic. I will be back for certain.” Clyde Berger

Ashley Galvani Bell has performed as a soloist in the United States, Italy, Spain, France and Russia. Recent performances include Donna Anna in Don Giovanni in Narni, Italy, Musetta in La Bohème at the National Opera Center, and Norina in Don Pasquale with Rioja Lirica in Spain, where she was called unstoppable in her brilliant singing and a true “stage animal” with her hilarious interpretation of the two sided character of Norina/Sofronia. This will be the popular soprano’s third appearance at an AWoW Showcase.

I.S. Jones

I.S. Jones is a spoken word poet hailing from Southern California. She moved to New York to pursue her passion for poetry. Her intense fire & honesty brims through every performance; It has been said she has a voice bigger than her body. Her works have appeared in Chaparral, The Harpoon Review, Fat City and various others literary magazine.

Brendan Connellan

Mary Tierney will be directing a scene from Brendan Connellan’s Savage. According to Mary, “We’ve given it the Ingmar Bergman treatment. In Sweden, he’d rehearse actors from the National Theater for six months before a production was ‘ready.’ That’s what our actors, Larry Fleishman and Courtney Torres have done. ” Fleischman, has performed at a number of AWoW Showcases, and Torres, who recently performed at Beal Bocht in Sacred Sow, will be making her AWoW debut.

Martina Fiserova

Prague born singer/songwriter Martina Fiserova has established a following on the NYC music scene with her unique songwriting approach and intimate and emotional vocal performance. She is finishing up an album of her original music, which will be her second release after the jazz oriented debut Clearing Fields.

Allison Sylvia

Alison Sylvia is a “poet.in.progress,” and Tuesday, she will connect her poems with dance. Allison dazzled the audience with a spellbinding performance of her epic poem “Scroll” at her first AWoW appearance. “I am honored to have performed for such a receptive audience and to share the space with such talented artists,” she said. “That was the first performance I’ve done where I summoned the appropriate chutzpah to make the concluding sword trick work.” Her’s was an absolutely mesmerizing performance.

Gabriela Gyergeva

Gabriela Gyergeva was born in Macedonia and studied at University in Bulgaria, majoring in opera and voice. Gabriela performed extensively in Bulgaria and Macedonia before moving to NYC three years ago. Last year she performed at Carnegie Hall and the Mono No Aware film festival in Brooklyn. Currently Gabriela performs at St. Francis Xavier church in the city.

Joanna Migdal

Joanna Migdal is a poet working on a chapbook of centos, one of which she is reading Tuesday night in honor of women poets of the past as part of the celebration of March Women’s History Month. Her cento will be posted 3/31 on a site called www.womenyoushouldknow.com

AWoW’s Showcase is hosted by The Cell Theatre, located at 338 W23rd St., NYC. Drinks at 6:45; the show begins at 7:20. Hope to see you then.

Angela Alaimo O’Donnell’s new book of poems, LOVERS’ ALMANAC, has been officially released by Wipf & Stock Press as of March 13th.

For those who many like to know more about the book, please check out the link to the WIPF & STOCK and to the book’s AMAZON page.

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Artists Without Walls

Join AWoW for its March Showcase, including a talented array of performers and the most convivial crowd in town. Joining us, among others, will be Brendan Connellan, I.S. Jones, Joanna Migdal, Ashley Bell, Niamh Hyland, Allison Sylvia, Martina Fišerová, Mary Tierney and Gabriela Gyergeva. Thanks to Vera Hoar for the great montage. The Cell Theatre, 338 W23rd St., NYC Drinks at 6:45; show begins at 7:20.

Dancing with the Strings: Festival at the Bloomingdale School of Music, 323 W 108th street (www.bsmny.org) March 27th, 7 pm Bruch Octet (on viola) and March 28th, 2 pm. Violin/Dance performance. Free admission for both events.

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Mark Donnelly

Actress Mary Tierney will read selected speeches and monologues from Mark Donnelly’s play Mother Jones: Fighter for Justice at Borough of Manhattan Community College on Thursday, March 26, beginning at noon in Room S341. Q&A to follow.

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The college is located at 199 Chambers St., downtown, toward the Hudson. The event is being presented as part of Women’s Herstory Month.

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Free and open to the public. Just let staff at the Security Desk know what event you’re attending and you’ll be properly directed.

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Tara O’Grady

Tara O’Grady is releasing her 4th album Irish Bayou, a tribute to New Orleans with original songs in a gumbo of genres, from zydeco and rockabilly, to folk, funk, swing, jazz and blues. Special guests joining her on stage will be AWOW member Sasha Papernik on piano and vocals, as well as Pete Kennedy of The Kennedy’s on guitar and ukulele, Justin Poindexter of The Amigos on lap steel and vocals, and Tara’s full swing band – bass, drums, trumpet, sax, clarinet, washboard and all.

Artists Without Walls’ member Deborah Monlux announces the next session of the traditional Brooklyn Cajun Jam Session at the fabulous Jalopy Theatre in Brooklyn, led by Tim Kness and open to all musicians at the Jalopy Theatre and School of Music, Brooklyn, NY (Red Hook Neighborhood) 315 Columbia Street (Between Hamilton & Woodhull) Brooklyn, NY, 11231. Jam at 3PM, Eat at 6PM and Dance at 8PM! Click here for YouTube

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Cajun Music

Musicians:The Brooklyn Cajun Jam focuses on the traditional Cajun & Creole music of southwest Louisiana. Vocals are sung in Cajun French and are backed up by button accordion, fiddle, guitar, and occasionally, ‘tit fer (triangle) bass and mandolin. Since most tunes are played in the keys of C and G, fiddles are usually tuned down a whole step to FCGD. Bring your instruments, join the music, or just come by and listen to some great traditional Cajun music.

Dancers: The Empty Bottle Ramblers​ are: Tim Kness (Accordion & Fiddle) & Missy Roser (Fiddle). Having first started playing Cajun music together at the Augusta Heritage Center several years ago, they’ve developed an exceptional and compelling style which has been known to inspire all.

About The Empty Bottle Ramblers:We play old style Cajun Music from southwest Louisiana: foot – stomping accordion two steps and beautiful twin fiddle waltzes sung in Cajun French, with guitar and upright bass driving you onto the dance floor. Empty Bottle Ramblers Old old style Cajun Music designed by Tim Kness; fiddle/accordion/vocal and Missy Roser; Fiddle, Kim Eddinger on second fiddle and vocal, joined by Danny Birnbaum on Bass and Betsy Fuller; Guitar.

Jim Hawkins will be presenting a program of “Stories and Songs from the Irish Tradition” today, Sunday, 2pm at the Glen Cove Gold Coast Library, Glen Cove, LI.

On March 17 and 21, Jim AND Greg Ryan will be playing traditional Irish music and singing Irish ballads at the MacArthur Park Restaurant on Park Ave in Rockvile Center, LI. They will be playing from 5-9 on the 17th and from 1-4 on the 21st, after the Rockville Center St. Patrick’s day parade.

Richard Stillman

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Singer, storyteller & musician, Richard Stillman will be performing his Irish Balladeer show at 3pm at the Verona NJ Library. For info call 973 857-4848. The family show combines traditional and original Irish music, storytelling and step dancing accompanied on cittern guitar, banjo, mandolin, bagpipes, concertina, pennywhistle, bones, bodhran and harmonica.

Mary Tierney in “Sacred Sow”

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Mary Tierney will be appearing today, Sunday March 15, 1:30 pm in the Poor Mouth Theatre company presentation of A Night of Irish Storytelling” “Sacred Sow” written and directed by Ellie Cummings.

Located at 445 W238th St., Bronx, NY. Admission $18 available at the bar

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Nancy Redman

Nancy Redman won Best Comedian Award United Solo 2014 for her one woman play “THE DOCTOR IS NOT IN” directed by Austin Pendleton. She will be performing “THE DOCTOR IS NOT IN” Sunday, March 15, 2015 at 7pm at Abingdon Theatre Company Dorothy Strelsin Theatre, 312 W36th St. 1st Fl., NYC

Nancy recently performed “The Doctor Is Not In” at the United Solo Theatre Festival 2014 and received the award for “Best Comedian.”

From Vincent: “Traditionally, St Patrick’s Day would be just the day of March 17th, but living here in the US, there seems no end to the various celebratory parades. I’m not complaining of course, as I can claim that my upcoming show at the Scratcher is to commemorate the Saintly man himself; however, I would like to invite folks out to hear some newly written tunes at the one and only Scratcher Bar on the Lower East Side. That day being March the 15th at 7:15pm on the dash. There are usually two acts split over two hrs with fifteen minutes between each. I’m not sure who will be sharing the stage with me, but be sure to catch both sets. Oh…and if you join the Facebook invite here, I’ll be eternally grateful.”

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Ed Romanoff

Singer/songwriter Ed Romanoff, who recently concluded his tour of Germany and Ireland now wraps up in NY next week. He’s bringing along one of his favorite players, Clive Barnes from Kilkenny Ireland. Clive’s a blues powerhouse and has played with many legends. Join them for some new songs and some new sounds.

The next session of the traditional Brooklyn Cajun Jam Session at the fabulous Jalopy Theatre in Brooklyn, will be lead by Tim Kness and open to all musicians at the Jalopy Theatre and School of Music, Brooklyn, NY (Red Hook Neighborhood) 315 Columbia Street (Between Hamilton & Woodhull) Brooklyn, NY, 11231.

Singer, storyteller & musician, Richard Stillman will be performing his Irish Balladeer show on Long Island next week. The family show combines traditional and original Irish music, storytelling and step dancing accompanied on cittern guitar, banjo, mandolin, bagpipes, concertina, pennywhistle, bones, bodhran and harmonica. He’ll be at the Amityville, NY Library on March 7th at 2 pm. For information call 631 264 0567. He’ll repeat the show at the Island Park, NY Library on March 12th at 7 pm. For information call 516 432 0122 .

Paul Byrne and Richard Stillman

Richard and guitarist Paul Byrne will also be performing their Irish Balladeer show on March 14th at 10 and 11 am at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum in Boston, Ma. For more information call 617 514 1560. On March 15th Richard performs the show solo at 3 pm at the Verona NJ Library. For information call 973 857 4848.

Jim Hawkins

Jim Hawkins will be doing a program of “Stories and Songs from the Irish Tradition” on the following dates, times and locations: March 8, Williston Park Library, Williston Park, Long Island 2 P.M. March 14 Copiague Library, Copiague, Long Island. March 15 Glen Cove Gold Coast Library, Glen Cove, Long Island. March 22 Deer Park Library, Deer Park, Long Island.

On March 17 and 21, Jim and Greg Ryan will be playing traditional Irish music and singing Irish ballads at the MacArthur Park Restaurant on Park Ave in Rockvile Center, LI. They will be playing from 5-9 on the 17th and from 1-4 on the 21st, after the Rockville Center St. Patrick’s day parade.

Mary Tierney in “Sacred Sow”

Mary Tierney is appearing in the Poor Mouth Theatre company presentation of A Night of Irish Storytelling” “Sacred Sow” written and directed by Ellie Cummings.

Thursday, March 12/8pm, Friday, March 13/8pm and Sunday, March 15/1:30pm. Admission $18 available at the bar

Serena Jost

March 12 @ 8:30 pm – 9:30 pmSerena Jost returns to Rockwood Music Hall Stage 3, her favorite downtown venue, on March 12, 8:30pm. Come hear new songs, some favorites and hang out with Serena after the show. Special Guests.

Here’s what New York Music Daily said about Serena’s 2014 Rockwood Concert: “…a lush, sweeping, richly enveloping, tuneful show by the art-rock cellist/multi-instrumentalist singer (Serena) and her band.” Click here for tickets, which are $10.

Nancy Redman won Best Comedian Award United Solo 2014 for her one woman play “The Doctor Is Not In” directed by Austin Pendleton. She will be performing “The Doctor is Not In,” Sunday, March 15, 2015 at 7pm at Abingdon Theatre CompanyDorothy Strelsin Theatre, 312 W36th St. 1st Fl., NYC

Nancy recently performed “The Doctor Is Not In” at the United Solo Theatre Festival 2014 and received the award for “Best Comedian.”

“I get great satisfaction from combining materials in unintended ways, which reinterpret their history and origins into a modern visual story.” Kathleen Bennett Bastis. Kathleen’s show “Permutations” will be opening in New York City on March 31. See the end of the article for details.

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Mixed media artist Kathleen Bennett Bastis’ work is influenced by the energy and character found in the shape, texture and color of reclaimed materials. Essentially, all of her work starts with a “find” – material that has visual interest in either the shape, color or markings made by nature or an industrial process.

“The character of the scrap is what starts and guides my creative process,” says Kathleen. “Because of the unique nature of the materials in my work, I would say that it is nearly impossible for me to repeat myself. The shapes, texture and hue guide my creative process as I reinterpret the history of this detritus and construct a contemporary visual narrative. Although the materials and the finished pieces are very distinct – I have been told there is a thread throughout that identifies me as the storyteller.”

Here are two of Kathleen’s work with her thoughts on each:

Concerto #1

One day, a few years ago, I was walking to the 14th St subway when I spotted a old upright piano on the corner of W 12th and 8th Ave. In my head, I heard my son Nick’s voice saying “Mom, do NOT pick that up.” So, I kept walking. I made it to 13th Street before I turned around to take a closer look…it had ivory and ebony keys. Needless to say, I went home, grabbed some tools and proceeded to extract the entire keyboard from the piano. I filled several bags with all the keys, felted hammers and some other interesting parts.

As was I was gathering up my haul I looked up to see a silent, clapping ovation coming from the patrons and employees of the bank on that corner who, apparently, had been observing my labors from behind the plate glass windows.

Slate Study #2

For many years, I have had the pleasure of spending time in a summer cottage set on a wooded ridge in Northfield, MA. On the main street of town, which is about a half-mile stretch of Route 16, there is an antique shop located in a barn at the back of a large white, early 1800”s home.

“Antiques” is perhaps not the word I would use to describe the majority of the contents of this barn, which is perfect for me. Dave the proprietor/owner runs the place from a stool in the front just inside the door. Piles of interesting bits and pieces that reflect the rural, agricultural setting and life style of the area surround him. Leaning up against the outside wall of the barn in the sun were a bunch of beautiful, beaten up pieces of slate roofing tiles. Seen in the sunlight, the depth of color and geometric markings became irresistible. It turns out that the slate was from Dave’s own roof and was at least 200 years old. The bleached out quadrants, globs of tar, holes and fractures created an appealing abstract composition. I just took it from there.

Kathleen’s show, “Permutations,” will be at the First Street Gallery from March 31-April 25. There is an opening reception on April 2, 6-8pm. The gallery is located at 526 West 26th Street, Suite 209.

There’s the Erie Canal. The Panama Canal. And the Root Canal. This last of which I encountered for the first time ever, last month.

No big deal here, this being commonplace and hardly life threatening. Yet no day at the beach either, as this dental rite of passage has long been synonymous with that dreaded euphemistic phrase uttered by white-coated professionals: “you may experience some discomfort.” We lay people and patients call it for what it is. PAIN.

To ward off such anxiety in the dental chair—call it a throne as many of us have been crowned there on several occasions— I have gone under the influence of nitrous oxide. (To which I attribute the preceding bad pun as well as what might follow for which I claim no responsibility.). The goal has been to temper any “discomfort,” not so much physically—though it does help to dull the number of piercing shots of Novocain in nerve sensitive areas, but without which such a “procedure” as root canal would be unendurable—but equally important, psychologically. Or maybe it’s just me. Call me a wuss. I’ve been called worse.

With a nitrous infusion now wafting through my nostrils, they proceed to put goggles on me. (“What are these for?” “I will be working with sharp instruments.” I had to ask.). Then something made of rubber gets stuffed into my mouth that challenges the gag reflex. I feel that I am now in the hands of terrorists. I would gladly tell them whatever they want to know if I could speak—the mouth kept wide open by some sort of doorstop device. But as the nitrous begins to peak, the terrorist illusion gives way to one of a car. They might be mechanics probing under my hood. A small tune-up and I’ll be out of the garage and back on the road in no time. But that playful notion is literally drilled out of me.

Suddenly, Dr. Whitecoat Professional—wall-mounted diplomas implying competence—goes all Con Edison on me. He proceeds to jack-hammer my street with no prior warning or explanation. There are now sounds coming from down below, that in all my visits to the chair, I’ve never heard. Weird variations on a drilling theme in the key of Eek sharp!

One particular adagio drill bit passage, reminding me of a mandatory machine shop class I had to take as a high school student at Brooklyn Tech (♫“Tech alma mater, molder of men”♫), somewhere in the deep recesses of the previous millennium. And in the absence of any sign of gracefulness in the execution, there is pressure, penetration and screaming metal, hell-bent on reaching China. And while I feel no actual pain by this point, I am sweating. Audibly. What if he slips? His assistant will no doubt cover up the evidence of this unfortunate accident, which could result in years of expensive litigation…and all to no avail.

In need to go elsewhere, the brain heads off to the movies. Appearing on its screen now, is that crazed dentist played by Steve Martin in “Little Shop of Horrors.” Followed shortly, by the dental scene from “The Marathon Man” with Dustin Hoffman and a menacingLawrence Olivier. (“Is it safe? Is it safe?”) And though such imagery and attendant associations race along, time seems eternal.

I was in that chair for about a week. And as I wandered into the dessert of resignation by say the sixth day, a thought seeped in and took hold, and repeated itself through the nitrous haze. That with all the advances in science and technology, with all its robotics and killer apps— even in the sci-fi sounding year of 2015— reality is literal, not virtual. We look to science, or God, to eliminate the discomforts that come with living. And neither can do it.

Ron Vazzano

Oxygen now finally freely flowing, and having come back fully to my all too common senses, it was time to leave to go pick up my computer that had crashed and was in the shop. Okay, I’ll admit to “going Brian Williams” here. My computer did not crash at that particular time. Nor was it even shot at. I misremembered. You know, the nitrous oxide and all.